1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an intake manifold of an engine, and more particularly to an intake manifold having an increased crash-compaction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A body of an automobile is generally made so that it can absorb the energy of a crash by deforming an engine compartment which is located at the front or rear of the cabin in order to ease the impact of a crash.
In an automobile having its engine at a right angle to the vehicle running direction, that is, located sideways, an intake manifold made of a U-shaped plastic element which has fragile parts around it, has already been proposed, positioned at the side face of the engine, that is, positioned between the engine and a cowl panel (Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application No. 63-24359). This intake manifold is capable of absorbing an impact of a crash.
The cubic volume of the above-mentioned intake manifold, however, does not decrease and the amount of compaction for absorbing an impact cannot be increased, because the above-mentioned intake manifold has fragile parts around it, and the manifold breaks along its fragile parts while maintaining its cubic volume.